Mariastein Abbey

Mariastein originated as a place of pilgrimage in the late 14th century, with the legend of a miracle of the Blessed Virgin Mary; a stone chapel was first definitely mentioned in 1434.

The abbey was extremely successful both as a revived Benedictine community and as promoters and custodians of the pilgrimage site, which assumed at that period its present importance.

Since in France many citizens did not approve of the preachers there, they travelled to Mariastein and it was there where their French children received their baptism or marriages were sealed.

[2] In 1798 troops commanded by the French General Balthazar Alexis Henri Schauenburg sacked the monastery and sent the monks into exile.

[4] After a referendum in 1970, the abbey was re-established on the 21 June 1971 with a ceremony during which the Landamman of the Canton of Solothurn Willi Ritschard returned the legal rights over the monastery to Abbot Basilius Niederbegrer.